Railway-switch mechanism.



C. A. ALBEN. RAILWAY SWITOH` MBGHANISM. APPLIOATION FILED JAILZI, 1914.

1,099,232. Patented June 9,1914

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- APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1914. 1,099,232, Patented June 9, 1914.

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.vention applied thereto.

CHARLES A. ALBEN. OF STEELTON. PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAYSWITCH lVIECI-IANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'Patented .l une t), 1914.

Application filed January 21, 1914. Serial No. 813,383.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLEs A. ALDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Steelton, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Vimprovements in Railway/*Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a railway switch mechanism of novel, simple and efficient construction having provision, first, whereby, when the parts are set in one position, the switch tongue will be yieldingly maintained in a position against the track rail of the switch structure and automaticall)Y returned thereto after being moved therefrom and released, secondly, whereby, when the parts are set in another position, the switch tongue will be yieldingly maintained in a position against the guard rail of the switch structuri-y and automatiallly returned thereto after being moved there- 't'rom and released, thirdly, whereby, when the parts are set in a third position, the switch tongue will be yieldingly held in either a position against the track rail or a position against the guard rail to which it may be moved, and, fourthly, whereby, when the parts are set in the last named position, the. yielding pressure against the` switch tongue will be greater than when the parts are set in either of the two first named positions.

The invention includes various novel features` of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fullyv described and Claimed.

lu the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention: Figure 1, is a plan. View of a railway switch structure having my in- Fig. 2, is a vertical section through my improved mechanism, on line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a vertical section thereof, on line SW3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4, is a view of the bottomof the partially rotatable head for setting the mechanism in different positions. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are plan views of the box at one side of the switch structure with the cover of the box removed, exposing my improved mechanism contained therein, Fig. 5 showing the parts in position to maintain the switch tongue at the track rail side of the switch structure, Fig. 6 showing the parts in position to maintain the switch tongue at the guard rail side of the switch structure, and Fig. 7 showing the parts in position to maintain the switch tongue in either the position at the track rail sidc or at the guard rail side ot the switch structure.

Referring to the drawings, 1tdesignates the general framework ot' the switch structure. ou one side ot" which is formed the track rait 5, and on thc other side of which is formed the guard rail (i. Supported on a suitable floor portion of the franiework, between the rails 5 and is the switch tongue 7, the heel end S of which is pivoted to the framework. The tongue T is adapted to oecupy a position against the track rail 5. as shown in Fig. l. to direct car wheels to and from the same; and the tongue is adapted to be moved from the track rail 5 over against the guard rail G to form a part thereof and to clear the track rail 5, in the usual manner and for the usual well known purpose.

Secured to the `tranufwork t and forming, in effect, a part thereof, adjacent to one side of the switch tongue i', is a box i) adapted to contain my improved switch operating mechanism, as follows: Supported in the bottom of the box 9 is the lower end of a vertical shaft l0 on which is fulcrumed a horizon tallysniovablc lever 11, having two arms 12 and 13. The arm I2 is hi'turcated and ernbraces one end of a link 1,4. rllhe other end of the link 14tis pivoted, at 15, to a suitable head lti on the end of a rod I7 which eX- tends from the box tl through parts of the framework to and through a lng 1S on the bottom of the tongue T and is secured thereto by means of nuts t9. The link 't4 is connected to the arm 12 of the lever 1 1 by a pin 20 which is adapted to be inserted into an opening' 21 in the arm 12 and a slot 22` in the link 141-, or into an opening 23 in the arm 12 and an opening 24 in the link 14, as desired for a purpose hereinafter explained. The arm 13 of the lever 11 is provided with a roller 25 which is engaged by a cam 26 formed on` an arm 27. ne end of the arm 27 is pivoted, at 28, to the box 9 and the other end of the arm 27 is engaged by a head or nut 29 on one end of a rod 30 which extends through the arm 27 and through a wall or projection 31 formed in the box 9 and spaced from the arm 27. The other end of the rod 30 is provided with a suitable head 32; and encircling' the rod 30 and interposed between and engaging the wall 31 and head 82 is a strong spring 33 which tends to force the cam 26 toward the shaft 10 or fulcrum of the lever 11,. The. cam 26 has a high point 34 and two faces or portions 35 and diver-ging from the away from the shaft 10 or fulcrum of the lever 11. 'The faces 35 and 36 are so arranged with relation to each other and to` the pivot 28 and fulcrum of the lever 1l that when the face 35 engages the roller 25,.'the

spring` 33 will tend to force the lever 11 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5, and that when the face 36 engages the roller 25,

j the spring 33 will tend to force the lever 11 cap screws.

as indicated by the in the reverse direction,

hereinafter arrow in Fig. 6, for a purpose appearing. l

In order to turn the lever 11 to set the mechanism in dierent positions, I provide the upper end of the shaft 10 with a head 37 which is rotatable thereon and which y .move away from the projections 39 under Y certain conditions explained later. The top V21 to engage of the head 37 is provided with a slot for the reception of a bar or suitable tool for the purpose of turning the head.

The'end of the arm 12 of the lever 11 has a socket 41 formed therein, and the side wall of the box 9 is provided with a projection having a socket 42 formed therein. The lever 11 may be moved to bring the socket 41 into registry with the socket 42 to permit a bar or other tool to be inserted into the'two sockets to hold the lever 11 against movement by the spring 33 for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The operation is as follows: When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the spring 33 tends to force the lever 11 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5, causing the pin 20 within the opening the end wall of the slot 22 nearest to the arm 27 and force the rod 17 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, and maintain the switch tongue 7 yieldingly against the track rail 5 in a manner to auto- Y matically return the tongue to the track rail,

should the tongue be moved therefrom by passing wheel flanges or other means and then released. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, the spring 33 tends to force the lever` 11 -in the direction of the arrow, causing the pin 20 `within the open ing v2.1 to eng-age the en d wall of the slot 22 farthest from the arm 27 Y and force the rod high point 34 in directions i be seen that, when the "pin leave the projections rail 6 in a manner to automati-` lever 11, and the relation of the pin 2O and Y opening'21 to the slot 22 are such that, when the parts are in either of the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the switch tongue 7 will be automatically returned to the rail 5 or the rail 6 fro-m which itis moved and thenl released, irrespective'of the extent of move ment of the' tongue between the two rails.'

Then however the pin 20 is removed from the opening 21 and slot 22, andis inserted into the openings 23 and 24, the relation of the cam faces 35 and 36 and roller 25 to the fulcrum of the lever 11 and the connection between the lever 11 and link 14 are such that the roller 25 may bemoved from one to the other of the faces 35 and 36 and from side to side of the high point 34 when the switch tongue 7 is moved from one' to the other of the rails. 5 and 6. It will thus 20 connects the lever 11 and link 14, as shown in Fig. 7 the tongue 7 may be held yieldingly in posit-ions against either the rail 5 orv the rail 6, to prevent kicking etc., in accordance with the position of the roller 25 with respect to high point 34 of the cam 26.V

When it is desired to change the position of the lever 11 from one to the. other of the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the same may be readily done by inserting a bar into the slot in the head 37 and turning the same, thereby causing the projections` 39 to engage the projections 40 and turn the lever 11 until the roller 25 passes the high point of the cam. The initial movement of the leve-r y 11 against the action of the spring 33 will move the' pin 20 from the end wall of the slot 22 with which it is engaged until the roller 25 passes the. high point y34, when the action of the spring 33 will continue the movement of the lever 11 in the same direction and bring the pin 20 into engagement' with the other end wall of the slot 22 and change the position of the switch tongue 7 and hold it yieldingly in its changed position. As the roller 25 leaves the high point 34 of the' cam under the action of the spring 33, the Vprojections 40 of the lever 11 will 39 of the head 37 due to the lost motion between them, and thus relieve the hand of the operator from the' shock of the action of the spring 33 when it comes into play to continue the movement of the lever 11. In the same lmanner-just described, the' roller 25 may be moved from side to side of the high point 34 of the cam 26 to set the lever 11 in position to maintain the tongue yieldingly in engagement with either the rail 5 or the rail 6, when the pin 2O connects the lever 11 and link 12, as shown in Fig. 7.

When it is desired to change the pin 20 from one to the other of the `slot 22 and opening 24, and when the parts of the mechanism are4 originally assembled, the lever 11 may be moved against the action of the spring 33 until the socket 41 in the lever comes into registry "h the socket 12 in the box 9, and a suit. -e bar may be then inserted into the opening formed `by the two sockets, and the bar will hold the lever l1 in a position against the action ot the spring 33 and in which the link 111 and parts connected thereto may be freely adj usted relatively to the lever 11 to permit the insertion of the pin 20 either into the opening 21 and slot 22 or into the two openings 23 and 24, as desired.

I claim:

l. ln a railway switch mechanism, the coml'iination o't' sui'iporting means, a movable tongue, thereon, a pivoted arm provided with a cam, a sprinotending to move said arm, a lever operated by said cam, and connections between said tongue and said lever.

2. In a railway switch mechanism, the combination ot supporting means, a movable tongue thereon, a pivoted arm provided with a cam, a rod connected to said arm and extending therefrom and having a head thereon, a spring encircling said rod and in terposed between said head and a part of said supporting means and tending to move said arm, a lever operated by said cam, and connections between said tongue and said lever.

3. In a railway switch mechanism. the co1ubination of supporting means, a movable tongue thereon. a pivoted arm provided with a cam, a lever having a part engaged by said cam, said cam having a high point and two portions diverging from the high point in directions away from the fulcrum of the lever, a spring tending to move said arm toward the fulcrum of the lever, and connections between said tongue and said lever.

Il. In a railway switch mechanism, the combination of supporting` means, a movable tongue thereon, a pivoted arm provided with a cam, a lever having a part engaged by said cam, said cam having a high point and two portions diverging from the high point in directions away from the fulcrum of the lever, a spring tending to move said arm toward the 'fulcrum of the lever, a part connected to said tongue and having a slot formed therein, and a part carried by said lever and extending into said slot and movable from end to end thereof, said lever being adapted to be forced in opposite directions by the diverging portions of the cam in different. positions of the parts. and said part being forced toward one end of said slot when said level' is forced in one direction and heilig forced toward the other end ot said slot when said lever is forced in the other direction.

ln a railway switch mechanism. the combination ot' `supporting means, a mov able tongue thereon, a pivoted arm provided with a cam, a lever having a part engaged by said cani, said cam having a high point and two portions diverging from the high point in directions away trom the 'lulcruln ot' the lever. a spring tending to move said arm toward the 't'ulcrum oi the lever, said lever adapted to be torred in opposite directions by the (livel-ging portions ot the cam in different positions oi' the parts, a part connected to said tongue, and means whereby said lever may engage said part at two different points.

ln a railway switch mechanism, the combination of supporting means, a movable tongue thereon, a lever, a spring tending to ,move said lever around its ilulcrum, a part connected to said tongue. and means for connecting said lever to said part at differ ent distances 'from the :tulcrum oi the lever.

7. In a. railway switch mechanism, therein bination of supporting means, a movable tongue thereon, a pivoted arm provided with a cam, a. lever having a part engaged by said cam, said cam having a high point and two portions diverging from the high point in directions away from the fulcrum of the lever, a spring tending to move said arm toward the tulcrum of the lever, said lever being adapted to be forced in opposite directions by the di verging portions of the cam in ditferent positions ot the parts, a part connected to said tongue, and means whereby said lever may engage said part at three different points.

8. ln a railway switch mechanism, the combination ot' supporting means, a movable tongue thereon, a pivoted arm provided with a cam, a lever having a part engaged by said cam, said cam having a high point and two portions diverging from the high point in directions away from the fulcrum --i of the lever, a spring tending to move said arm toward the fulcrum of the lever, said lever being adapted to be forced in opposite directions by the diver-ging portions of the cam in different positions of the parts, a part connected to said tongue, and means whereby said lever may engage said part at three di'erent points, one of said points being nearer to the fulcrum of the lever than the other two points.

9. In a railway switch mechanism, the combination of supporting means, a movable tongue thereon, a pivoted arm provided with a cam, a lever having a part engaged by said cam, said cam having a high point and two portions diverging from the high l lever, the last named means providing lost point in directions away from the fnlerum i motion between the lever and said part of the lever, a spring'tending to move said When connecting the lever and .Said part arm towardv the fulerum of the lever, said farthest from the fuleruin of the lever.

5 lever being adapted to he forced in opposite l In testimony Whereofl'aix my, signature 15k directions by the diverging portions of the l in presence of two Witnesses. v

0am indifferent positions of the parts, a i CHARLES LALDENM part connected t0 said tongue, and means for connecting said lever to said part at dit 10 ferent distances from the fulcrum of the A i Witnesses:

JOHN N. PEREGOY, RAY ULRICH.

Copiesr of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Y Washington, D. C. Y 

